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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a path
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. track — to keep track
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. file — a tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. can — a tin
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. can — to be able to
  22. file — a document
  23. board — to get on
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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