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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kid — to tease
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. spring — of water
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fine — all right
  9. scale — in music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. kid — child
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — a coil
  16. suit — to fit
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. spring — the season
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fine — high quality
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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