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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: roll · arm · rush · bark · straw · can · stem · bay

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stem — to come from
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rush — hurry
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. roll — a cake
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. roll — a list
  24. rush — a thrill

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