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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mate — a partner
  4. tear — to rip
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. track — a path
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fork — in a road
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mate — to breed
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stem — to come from
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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