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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spell — letters
  6. cell — in biology
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. land — ground
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. land — a country
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. land — to come down
  20. staff — employees
  21. spell — magic
  22. cell — a phone
  23. staff — a stick
  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