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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. game — a match
  16. scale — in music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. game — wild animals
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lie — to recline

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