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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. file — a tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bear — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. file — a document
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mark — a grade
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. present — the time now
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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