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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 120 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: trunk · lean · stem · saw · racket · bass · bore · stand

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. lean — thin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stand — to bear
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. saw — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — low music
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bore — to drill
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — to bend
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bass — the fish

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