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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: nail · stem · trunk · staff · chair · cell

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. staff — a stick
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cell — a phone
  8. staff — employees
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. chair — a leader

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