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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.

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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: trunk · foot · object · spring · scale · track · stem · chip

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — to come from
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. track — a path
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spring — a coil
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chip — to eat
  18. track — a song
  19. scale — in music
  20. object — a thing
  21. track — to keep track
  22. object — to protest
  23. chip — for betting
  24. foot — a measure

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