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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 116 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: nail · rush · craft · bear · suit · bat · stem · lean

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bat — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stem — to come from
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — in cards
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. craft — boats
  24. stem — a stem cell

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