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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lie — to recline
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. face — to confront
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. face — part of the head
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. capital — money
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. capital — a city
  24. plane — a tool

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