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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: rest · ground · calf · stem · object · trunk · toast · bass

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — to protest
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rest — a break
  17. bass — low music
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stem — to come from
  22. toast — bread
  23. ground — the earth
  24. object — an aim

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