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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — government
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. object — an aim
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rule — a law
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. object — to protest
  23. fall — the season
  24. lash — an eyelash

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