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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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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: stem · sharp · firm · date · deal · wake · cabinet · trunk

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — clever
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wake — a trail
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. firm — a company
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. firm — decided
  21. date — the fruit
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stem — to come from

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