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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. roll — a cake
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. season — in sport
  10. shower — rain
  11. season — of the year
  12. fall — to drop
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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