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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: club · trunk · fan · foot · chest · saw · stem · swing

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. swing — in golf
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. club — for dancing
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for golf
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. saw — the tool
  18. club — a group
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chest — of your body

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