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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.

Make a worksheet

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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  3. root — of a plant
  4. current — happening now
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — of water
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. season — of the year
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. season — in sport
  19. current — electric
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. trunk — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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