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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mate — a friend
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. land — ground
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mate — to breed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stem — to come from
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a partner
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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