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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: toast · season · stem · net · arm · lie · drill · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. drill — the tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. net — for catching
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lie — to recline
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. net — after costs
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. drill — a practice
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — to come from
  19. net — in sport
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. drill — army training
  22. season — of the year
  23. toast — bread
  24. season — in sport

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