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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. object — an aim
  3. mine — for digging
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — a thing
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — to protest
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. plane — a tool
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wind — moving air
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wind — moving air

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