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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · trunk · rock · pitcher · snap · ball · fall · file

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. file — a tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fall — the season
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fall — to drop
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rock — a stone
  18. snap — to click
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fall — to drop

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