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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.

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

Word bank: arm · bay · stick · stem · band · saw

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. band — a music group
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. band — a ring

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