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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. swing — to play on
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — to fit
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. swing — music
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. capital — money
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. capital — a city
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lean — thin
  24. swing — in 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