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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. degree — temperature
  5. cap — a hat
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pop — to visit
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cap — a lid
  10. degree — an amount
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rush — hurry
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pop — music
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cap — of ice
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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