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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: firm · bore · row · wake · saw · stem · trunk · mouse

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. firm — decided
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. row — a line
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stem — to come from
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. row — to paddle
  20. firm — a company
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bore — to tire
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. saw — the tool

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