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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pit — a hole
  3. face — to confront
  4. pit — in a race
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fork — in a road
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — a lid
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. scale — in music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fork — to eat with

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