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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.

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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stem — to come from
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. root — the cause
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. firm — steady
  22. root — of a plant
  23. firm — a company
  24. root — of a word

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