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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.

Make a worksheet

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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. dip — to sink
  7. snap — to click
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ball — a great time
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ball — a dance
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. can — a tin
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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