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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — a trail
  6. net — after costs
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. tube — a container
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — in sport
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. net — for catching
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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