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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: kick · current · craft · foot · racket · nail · stem · hide

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. current — of water
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stem — to come from
  4. craft — boats
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. current — electric
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. kick — in football
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. current — happening now
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. foot — a measure
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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