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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. file — a tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. file — a document
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. press — newspapers
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — a hole
  13. press — a publisher
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — to push
  16. drill — army training
  17. hand — in cards
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pit — in a race
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hand — help
  24. file — a line of people

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