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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: mug · board · clip · stem · bulb · straw · suit · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. clip — to cut
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a committee
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. craft — a skill
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. suit — to fit
  18. craft — boats
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mug — a face
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mug — to rob
  24. board — to get on

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