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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
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: content · scale · stem · trunk · hand · chip · hide · wound

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. content — the amount
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. hand — in cards
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stem — to come from
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. scale — size or range
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. content — happy
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — in music
  23. hand — help
  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