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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · lash · spell · arm · mug · stem · prune · clip

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mug — a face
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spell — magic
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spell — letters
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stem — to come from
  20. spell — a short time
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. arm — part of the body

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