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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. snap — to click

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