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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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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: foot · stick · stand · cell · lash · craft

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cell — in biology
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cell — a phone
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. craft — a handicraft

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