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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mug — to rob
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mug — a cup
  8. suit — clothes
  9. key — the most important part
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mug — a face
  13. stem — to come from
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bark — to shout
  17. key — in music
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. suit — in cards
  24. straw — dry grass

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