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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: racket · stem · current · pitcher · craft · pit · date · race

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stem — to come from
  3. craft — a skill
  4. race — a contest
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. current — of water
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. current — electric
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. race — the arms race
  20. pit — in a race
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. current — happening now
  24. pit — a hole

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