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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
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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: snap · pitcher · arm · date · stem · staff · nail · mark

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mark — a grade
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. snap — to click
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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