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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: wave · rock · stem · squash · tube · trunk · foot · rush

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rock — music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. tube — a container
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. squash — the sport
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — a stone

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