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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lie — to recline
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. toast — bread
  14. bore — to tire
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. sharp — clever
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — to go away

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