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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cap — of ice
  9. kick — in football
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rest — a break
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bass — the fish
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. drill — army training
  24. kick — a thrill

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