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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. sharp — clever
  6. press — newspapers
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. field — a subject
  10. mate — a friend
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. press — a publisher
  13. field — for sport
  14. track — to keep track
  15. field — farmland
  16. mate — to breed
  17. track — a path
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — to push
  22. mate — a partner
  23. track — a song
  24. sharp — exactly

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