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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: rock · stem · trunk · net · pitcher · mug · toast · bear

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mug — a cup
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. net — in sport
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mug — to rob
  16. net — for catching
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mug — a face
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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