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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. charge — in control
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. charge — a price
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bank — for money
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bank — of a river
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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