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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. face — part of the head
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. face — to point toward
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. face — to confront
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. board — a committee
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container

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