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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cap — a lid
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. key — in music
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. file — a tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. tube — a container
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. tube — the underground
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. content — the amount
  19. cap — of ice
  20. content — happy
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. file — a document
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. plane — an aircraft

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