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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — the amount
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — boats
  8. wake — a trail
  9. press — to push
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stem — to come from
  14. press — newspapers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. content — happy
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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