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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: straw · craft · bowl · mark · lean · kick · cabinet · stem

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. craft — boats
  22. mark — a trace
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kick — a thrill

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