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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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. present — the time now
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. board — to get on
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bulb — for light
  20. present — a gift
  21. band — a ring
  22. present — there
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. trunk — of a car

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