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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: lash · saw · stem · jam · hide · arm · stand · craft

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. saw — the tool
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stem — to come from
  22. craft — boats
  23. saw — the tool
  24. jam — a tight spot

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