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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: spell · stem · bore · trunk · kick · mark · race · firm

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mark — a trace
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. kick — in football
  5. spell — magic
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spell — letters
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bore — to tire
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. firm — steady
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. race — a contest
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. firm — decided
  21. race — humankind
  22. bore — to drill
  23. firm — a company
  24. mark — a grade

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