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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. content — the amount
  3. bank — for money
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kick — in football
  8. capital — a city
  9. bank — for money
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — of a river
  13. face — to point toward
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. face — to confront
  16. content — happy
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. capital — money
  20. date — the fruit
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. leaves — to go away

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