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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.

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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: stem · stick · craft · arm · trunk · chest · bank · capital

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stem — to come from
  4. chest — a box
  5. craft — boats
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chest — of your body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a skill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bank — of a river
  15. capital — a city
  16. bank — for money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. chest — of your body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bank — for money
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. capital — money
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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