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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · trunk · track · stem · lash · lie · snap · game

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lie — to recline
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. game — a match
  13. can — a tin
  14. track — a path
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. can — to be able to
  17. snap — to click
  18. track — a song
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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