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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: trunk · bay · stem · charge · lean · file · bore · fall

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. file — a document
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lean — thin
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lean — to bend
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fall — the season
  24. file — a tool

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