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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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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 · arm · snap · trunk · wave · bulb · stem · mate

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. mate — to breed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stem — to come from
  24. arm — part of the body

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