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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: trunk · tube · leaves · kick · lean · board · fork · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lean — thin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — a committee
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kick — in football
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fork — in a road
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fork — to eat with

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