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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stem — to come from
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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