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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.

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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: squash · calf · stem · perch · trunk · bowl · fall · pit

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. squash — the sport
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bowl — a football final

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