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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mate — to breed
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mate — a partner
  10. board — to get on
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. roll — a list
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a committee
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. roll — a cake
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. sharp — with an edge

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