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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pit — in a race
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ground — crushed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ground — a position
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bound — certain
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bound — tied together
  13. foot — a measure
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bound — obliged
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pit — a hole
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. key — in music

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