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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. object — a thing
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a line of people
  7. object — an aim
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mark — a trace
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. file — a tool
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. object — to protest
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mark — a grade

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