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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. chip — for betting
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. drill — army training
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. date — the fruit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mark — a grade
  14. chip — to eat
  15. drill — the tool
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. face — to confront
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stand — to bear

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