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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rock — music
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rock — a stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bear — the animal

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