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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 116 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: craft · dip · staff · stem · stick · nail · wind · current

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — electric
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. current — happening now
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. staff — employees
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — boats
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. craft — a skill
  22. current — of water
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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