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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
468
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: dip · wake · racket · stem · trunk · game · spell · arm

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. spell — letters
  17. game — wild animals
  18. spell — a short time
  19. dip — to sink
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. stem — to come from
  23. game — a match
  24. spell — magic

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