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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: stem · stick · craft · fork · mine · drill · bulb · net

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fork — in a road
  3. net — for catching
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. craft — boats
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. drill — army training
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. net — in sport
  23. drill — a practice
  24. net — after costs

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