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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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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: rock · deal · court · craft · stick · nail · chip · stem

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — boats
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — a skill
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stem — to come from
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. chip — for betting
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for 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