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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. object — to protest
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — a thing
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — an aim
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. staff — employees
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mark — a grade

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