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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: temple · root · firm · craft · wound · stem · net · bear

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. net — in sport
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. root — of a plant
  7. firm — steady
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bear — the animal
  10. root — of a word
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. net — for catching
  13. root — the cause
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. craft — boats
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — a company
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. firm — decided

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