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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 116 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
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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 · suit · perch · can · mine · craft · row · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. craft — boats
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stem — to come from
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. row — a line
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. can — a tin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. craft — a skill
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mine — for digging
  23. row — to paddle
  24. suit — in cards

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