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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. capital — money
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. net — for catching
  13. lean — thin
  14. net — after costs
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. capital — a city
  19. bank — of a river
  20. plane — a tool
  21. net — in sport
  22. lean — to bend
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. trunk — of a tree

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