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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. can — a tin
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lean — to bend
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wound — an injury

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