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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rule — government
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rule — a law
  15. plane — a tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. lean — thin

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