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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.

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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: saw · arm · track · rock · stem · date · chair · rush

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — the tool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — music
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. saw — the tool
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rock — a stone
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. track — a song
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stem — to come from
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chair — a professorship

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