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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.

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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: bulb · craft · bay · lash · rule · object · trunk · stem

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stem — to come from
  5. object — to protest
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. object — a thing
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. craft — boats
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stem — a stem cell

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