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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: saw · stock · root · bound · stem · cap · craft · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. firm — decided
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stock — goods
  8. firm — a company
  9. craft — boats
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — obliged
  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