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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. chest — a box
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a dance
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. present — a gift
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. object — a thing
  16. chair — a leader
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. present — the time now
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. present — there
  24. chair — to sit on

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