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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: leaves · rule · bear · rock · cold · can · trunk · stem

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cold — an illness
  6. rock — music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. can — a tin
  19. cold — not warm
  20. rule — government
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rule — a law
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. can — to be able to

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