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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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Word bank
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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: calf · rush · toast · stem · cell · trunk · mouse · dip

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stem — to come from
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. dip — to sink
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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