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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. scale — in music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wake — a trail
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. board — a committee
  12. track — to keep track
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — to get on

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