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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bank — of a river
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — a video
  18. net — after costs
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lie — to recline

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