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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. track — a path
  4. cap — of ice
  5. face — to confront
  6. court — of a king
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. track — to keep track
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. track — a song
  15. court — of law
  16. face — to point toward
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fork — in a road
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lie — to recline
  24. court — 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