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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · nail · key · craft · stem · season · field · tear

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. key — the most important part
  4. season — in sport
  5. root — of a word
  6. field — farmland
  7. tear — to rip
  8. craft — boats
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. field — a subject
  13. key — in music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. root — the cause
  18. field — for sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. stem — to come from
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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