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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: lash · dip · stem · bear · bound · mine · trunk · chip

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bound — obliged
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. chip — to eat
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bound — certain
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stem — to come from
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. trunk — of a tree

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