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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. file — a line of people
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. file — a tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. roll — a list
  16. file — a document
  17. roll — a cake
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pop — soda

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