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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bound — certain
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stem — to come from
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bore — to tire
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bound — obliged
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  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