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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
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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: bowl · stem · saw · object · lash · jam · trunk · prune

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. object — a thing
  5. stem — to come from
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. object — an aim
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. object — to protest
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. saw — the tool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. trunk — of a tree

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