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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cell — in biology
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. ball — a dance
  16. craft — boats
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. craft — a skill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cell — a phone
  24. straw — dry grass

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