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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. club — a group
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. plane — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. sharp — clever
  8. club — for dancing
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. staff — employees
  13. file — a tool
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. staff — employees
  18. lean — to bend
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. club — for golf
  21. lean — thin
  22. staff — a stick
  23. toast — bread
  24. file — a document

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