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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 116 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: stem · craft · straw · bulb · tube · prune · board · wave

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. prune — to trim
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. board — to get on
  12. tube — a container
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stem — to come from
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — a committee
  22. prune — to trim
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bulb — for light

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