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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. file — a line of people
  3. deal — to handle
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — to protest
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rest — a break
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. file — a tool
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rest — what's left
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. file — a document
  21. rest — what's left
  22. object — a thing
  23. fine — all right
  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