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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. suit — clothes
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. kick — in football
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. suit — in cards
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cabinet — ministers

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