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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.

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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. foot — a measure
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. spell — letters
  18. lie — to recline
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mate — a partner

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