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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: stick · swing · present · perch · trunk · plane · pop · root

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. root — of a plant
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. root — of a word
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pop — soda
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. perch — the fish
  9. present — the time now
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — a tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — to visit
  16. present — a gift
  17. root — the cause
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. present — there
  23. pop — music
  24. trunk — of a tree

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