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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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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: squash · stem · stick · bass · deal · craft · dip · arm

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stem — to come from
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. craft — a skill
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bass — low music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. deal — to handle
  18. craft — boats
  19. bass — the fish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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