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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.

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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: present · spring · stem · trunk · deal · rest · chip · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spring — the season
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. present — the time now
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. present — there
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — a permit
  15. spring — of water
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. present — a gift
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — to come from
  24. deal — an agreement

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