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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: dip · perch · lean · plane · track · kick · trunk · staff

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — to sink
  6. staff — employees
  7. kick — in football
  8. track — to keep track
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. track — a song
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lean — to bend
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — thin
  15. staff — employees
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. staff — a stick
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. plane — a tool

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