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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. march — the month
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bank — for money
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. press — a publisher
  12. dip — to sink
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bank — for money
  16. press — to push
  17. march — the month
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. march — music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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