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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wake — a trail
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bowl — to roll

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