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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chest · trunk · stem · deal · straw · ruler

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chest — of your body
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. straw — dry grass

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