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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · toast · wake · leaves · date · bay · object · arm

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. object — to protest
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. toast — bread
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. date — the fruit
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bay — a horse colour

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