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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: wound · can · mug · stem · saw · cabinet · kid · row

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stem — to come from
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. can — a tin
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mug — to rob
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mug — a face
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — child
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. row — a line
  21. mug — a cup
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. can — a tin

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