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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. prune — to trim
  4. staff — employees
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. row — a line
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. staff — a stick
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. staff — employees
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. row — to paddle
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stem — to come from

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