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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. current — electric
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — of water
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stem — to come from
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bound — certain
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. current — happening now
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. hide — animal skin

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