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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. 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 — to come from
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pop — music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rock — a stone
  9. saw — the tool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rock — music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rest — a break
  21. pop — soda
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. 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