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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. degree — temperature
  6. board — a committee
  7. rule — a law
  8. degree — an amount
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rule — government
  12. degree — from a university
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wake — a trail
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. board — to get 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