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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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 an elephant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. current — of water
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. capital — a city
  16. current — electric
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. key — the most important part
  20. plane — a tool
  21. last — finally
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. current — happening now
  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