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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · arm · object · stem · leaves · lean · fork · court

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. court — of law
  9. fork — in a road
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. court — of a king
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. object — a thing
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. court — for sport
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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