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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. face — part of the head
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. suit — to fit
  19. face — to confront
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. leaves — lets stay

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