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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 124 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: rash · stem · craft · tube · nail · present · leaves · ground

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. ground — a position
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. tube — the underground
  6. craft — boats
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ground — crushed
  12. craft — a skill
  13. present — a gift
  14. tube — a container
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rash — hasty
  19. present — there
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rash — a series
  24. stem — to come from

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