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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ground — crushed
  3. lie — to recline
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ground — a position
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — a container
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — an aircraft

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