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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: scale · saw · leaves · trunk · bound · stem · bear · pass

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pass — a permit
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bound — tied together
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bound — certain
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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