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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rule — a law
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. staff — a stick
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rule — government
  15. cell — a phone
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. staff — employees
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. staff — employees
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hide — to keep secret

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