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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
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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: mate · stand · trunk · last · stem · bass · tube · rest

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mate — a friend
  13. last — finally
  14. bass — low music
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stand — to bear
  23. last — final
  24. last — to go on

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