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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · root · craft · track · stem · spell · bowl · fan

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. spell — magic
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. root — the cause
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. craft — a skill
  9. track — to keep track
  10. root — of a word
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. craft — boats
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. track — a path
  18. spell — a short time
  19. track — a song
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spell — letters
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stem — a stem cell

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