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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cap — a lid
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rest — a break
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rest — what's left

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