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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. present — the time now
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bat — the animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — in a race
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — a hole

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