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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. foot — a measure
  5. drill — a practice
  6. vault — a safe
  7. drill — the tool
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. club — for golf
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. snap — to click
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. club — a group
  19. pitch — completely
  20. club — for dancing
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. drill — army training
  24. face — to confront

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