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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. face — part of the head
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. face — to confront
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — in music
  12. game — a match
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. charge — in control
  16. key — for a lock
  17. field — farmland
  18. charge — a price
  19. field — a subject
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. field — for sport

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