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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. present — the time now
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bat — the animal
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. club — for dancing
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — to recline
  22. club — a group
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. club — for golf

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