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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: arm · fork · fine · stem · hide · pound · net · hand

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fine — all right
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. net — after costs
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pound — a weight
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. net — in sport
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. net — for catching
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fine — high quality

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