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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mark — a grade
  6. present — a gift
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. present — there
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. present — the time now
  17. prune — to trim
  18. key — the most important part
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. key — in music

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