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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: lean · prune · bay · stem · rash · craft · rock · lash

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rock — music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. craft — boats
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rash — a series
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stem — of a plant

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