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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: stem · sharp · bore · clip · staff · stick · craft · dip

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. clip — for paper
  3. craft — boats
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bore — to tire
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. clip — to cut
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bore — to drill
  17. craft — a skill
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. dip — to sink
  22. clip — a video
  23. stem — to come from
  24. craft — a handicraft

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