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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: cap · hand · craft · straw · stem · foot · temple · scale

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cap — of ice
  5. hand — in cards
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cap — a hat
  8. scale — in music
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. stem — to come from
  19. hand — help
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. foot — a measure
  24. temple — side 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