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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 116 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: leaves · stem · kick · bowl · pound · board · trunk · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — a committee
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. stem — to come from
  7. kick — in football
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — clever
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pound — a weight
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. sharp — with an edge

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