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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pop — to visit
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. can — a tin
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. can — a tin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pop — soda
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pop — music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bat — the animal
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. trunk — of a tree

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