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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 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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 an elephant
  3. cap — of ice
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. board — to get on
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cap — a hat
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. object — a thing
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cap — a lid
  17. branch — a division
  18. object — an aim
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. foot — a measure
  22. object — to protest
  23. chair — a leader
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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