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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: stock · craft · cap · saw · stem · game · club · foot

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. club — for golf
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. game — a match
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a lid
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stock — goods
  15. club — a group
  16. cap — of ice
  17. craft — a skill
  18. club — for dancing
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. game — wild animals
  22. craft — boats
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stock — shares

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