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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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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: fork · craft · nail · stem · lash · lie · prune · foot

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. craft — a skill
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. craft — boats
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stem — of a plant

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