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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. band — a music group
  3. rest — a break
  4. bass — low music
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rock — music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rock — a stone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rest — what's left
  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