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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 116 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stem — to come from
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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