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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: fall · rest · staff · cabinet · sharp · trunk · stem · leaves

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — to drop
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fall — the season
  8. stem — to come from
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. staff — employees
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — a break
  15. staff — employees
  16. fall — to drop
  17. staff — a stick
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stem — of a plant

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