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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. file — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. plane — a tool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bass — low music
  15. file — a document
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bass — the fish
  21. file — a line of people
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fork — in a road

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