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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. face — part of the head
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. craft — a skill
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tube — a container
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mug — a cup
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. tube — the underground

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