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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · nail · stem · wake · wave · current · object · craft

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. craft — a skill
  6. current — of water
  7. march — the month
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. march — the month
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — electric
  14. object — to protest
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — a thing
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. current — happening now
  20. craft — boats
  21. march — music
  22. wake — a trail
  23. object — an aim
  24. stem — a stem cell

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com