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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. object — an aim
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pound — a weight
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lie — to recline
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. face — to confront

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