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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wax — to grow
  13. firm — decided
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. firm — a company
  19. pit — a hole
  20. firm — steady
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pit — in a race

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