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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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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: key · craft · snap · stem · trunk · deal · sharp · hide

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stem — to come from
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — to handle
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. sharp — clever
  15. craft — a skill
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. key — in music
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. key — the most important part
  23. snap — to click
  24. craft — a handicraft

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