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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 116 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: wound · stem · can · mug · safe · trunk · snap · stand

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mug — a cup
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mug — a face
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. can — a tin
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. safe — out of danger
  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