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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 120 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: bowl · wake · craft · current · stem · trunk · can · snap

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stem — to come from
  8. snap — to click
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. current — of water
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wake — a trail
  15. current — happening now
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. craft — boats
  20. can — a tin
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. can — to be able to
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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