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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: stem · shower · hide · bear · net · trunk · pit · dip

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. net — after costs
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stem — to come from
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. shower — rain
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bear — the animal
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — in sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. net — for catching
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. hide — to keep secret

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