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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: field · stem · saw · object · sharp · trunk · stand · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. field — for sport
  4. object — an aim
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — to bear
  9. saw — the tool
  10. object — to protest
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. object — a thing
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mouse — the animal

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