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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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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: chip · bore · stem · fall · roll · jam · suit · trunk

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stem — to come from
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. roll — a list
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fall — the season
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bore — to tire
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — to drill

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