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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 · lean · net · firm · staff · safe · hide · stem

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. net — in sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stem — to come from
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. net — after costs
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. firm — steady
  16. net — for catching
  17. staff — employees
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stem — a stem cell

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