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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
468
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: bear · mark · stem · court · net · pit · bass · trunk

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. court — of law
  4. net — for catching
  5. pit — in a race
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. net — in sport
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. net — after costs
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stem — to come from
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — the animal

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