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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fine — all right
  6. craft — a skill
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. squash — the sport
  9. craft — boats
  10. fine — high quality
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stem — of a plant

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