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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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. mine — an explosive
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — in music
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. net — after costs
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lie — to recline
  22. kick — in football
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — on a finger

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