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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 116 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: stem · bulb · calf · trunk · object · charge · rest · track

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. object — a thing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stem — to come from
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. charge — electricity
  10. track — a path
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — a price
  13. rest — what's left
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. object — to protest
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. object — an aim

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