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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. root — the cause
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. craft — a skill
  5. root — of a word
  6. board — to get on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. craft — boats
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a committee
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. root — of a plant

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