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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 116 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
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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: file · plane · trunk · leaves · fork · lie · club · object

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. club — for dancing
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. object — an aim
  16. file — a tool
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. object — to protest
  20. file — a document
  21. object — a thing
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  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