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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 120 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. can — to be able to
  4. tube — a container
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. spring — of water
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pit — a hole
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. can — a tin
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rock — music
  22. tube — the underground
  23. spring — the season
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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