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

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — for catching
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. net — after costs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. net — in sport
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mine — for digging

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