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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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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: ruler · trunk · plane · stem · leaves · stick · content · perch

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. content — the amount
  3. stem — to come from
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. content — happy
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. perch — the fish
  12. plane — a tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. leaves — 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