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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fine — all right
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. march — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — to come from
  21. march — the month
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. march — the month

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