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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. season — of the year
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. foot — a measure
  15. season — in sport
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. trunk — of a car

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