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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: can · mouse · rush · stem · wound · game · deal · craft

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. game — a match
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. can — a tin
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. game — wild animals
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wound — an injury
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — to handle
  23. craft — boats
  24. stem — to come from

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