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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 120 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: sharp · bore · plane · court · stand · trunk · stem · bay

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. court — of a king
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. court — for sport
  11. sharp — clever
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. court — of law
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stand — to bear
  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