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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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 an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fine — all right
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mug — a face
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mug — to rob
  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