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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cell · stock · stem · pass · nail · object · bark · trunk

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. object — to protest
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. object — an aim
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stem — to come from
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cell — a phone
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cell — in biology
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stock — goods

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