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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to drill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wake — a trail
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. can — a tin
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. can — to be able to
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to tire
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — a tin
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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