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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — in cards
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fall — the season
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. present — the time now
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — there
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. present — a gift
  17. spell — letters
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — clothes
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. face — to confront
  24. plane — a tool

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