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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
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: pass · trunk · rash · firm · squash · stem · perch · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. perch — the fish
  16. squash — the sport
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rash — a series
  19. pass — a permit
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. squash — to crush
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. perch — for a bird

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