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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 124 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lie — to recline
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. court — for sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. court — of law
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. dip — to sink
  11. can — a tin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of a king
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wind — moving air
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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