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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mate — a partner
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a hole
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mate — a friend
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to sink
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pit — in a race
  24. dip — a sauce

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