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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
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: stem · stand · craft · hide · lean · deal · wound · land

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. land — a country
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lean — to bend
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — thin
  14. land — to come down
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wound — an injury
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. craft — boats
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. land — ground

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