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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. fall — the season
  4. club — a group
  5. object — an aim
  6. roll — a cake
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. face — part of the head
  10. object — to protest
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. roll — a list
  14. club — for dancing
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rest — what's left
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. club — for golf
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rest — a break
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rest — what's left

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