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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cap — a hat
  3. band — a ring
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. clip — for paper
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. cap — a lid
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — in music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. clip — a video
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. band — a music group
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. clip — to cut
  24. key — for a lock

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