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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 116 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: lash · saw · tube · stand · lean · pitcher · trunk · stem

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — thin
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — a container
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lean — to bend
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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