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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: stem · file · craft · straw · mark · spell · bay · prune

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. spell — letters
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. file — a line of people
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mark — a trace
  10. file — a tool
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. craft — boats
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. file — a document
  23. spell — magic
  24. prune — to trim

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