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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: stem · mark · bat · craft · current · pitcher · band · stick

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. band — a ring
  6. bat — the animal
  7. band — a music group
  8. current — electric
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. current — of water
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. current — happening now
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. craft — boats

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