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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: stem · craft · face · cue · cap · track · rash · arm

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. stem — to come from
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cue — for pool
  17. face — to confront
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. track — a song
  21. face — to point toward
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cap — a lid
  24. face — part of the head

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