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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: mark · arm · bass · trunk · stem · wake · face · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stem — to come from
  5. face — to confront
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bass — the fish
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bass — low music
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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