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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitch — completely
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. stem — to come from
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rule — a law
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stem — a stem cell

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