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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 124 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mate — a friend
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mate — a partner
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — a tool
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mate — to breed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. suit — clothes
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. snap — to click

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