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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a hole
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. land — ground
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stem — to come from
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. track — to keep track
  18. land — a country
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. pit — in a race
  24. trunk — of a tree

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