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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: lash · pound · stem · hide · temple · land · craft · trunk

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pound — a weight
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. land — a country
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stem — to come from
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. craft — a skill
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. craft — boats
  16. land — ground
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. land — to come down
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. hide — animal skin

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