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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. file — a document
  4. field — for sport
  5. file — a line of people
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. field — farmland
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. file — a tool
  16. field — a subject
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stand — on your feet

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