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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. hand — in cards
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. hand — help
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chip — to eat
  14. kid — child
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. kid — to tease
  20. wind — moving air
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. trunk — of a car

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