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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — in a road
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. snap — to click
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rock — music
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rest — what's left
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. tube — a container
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rest — a break
  23. tube — in a tire
  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