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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
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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 · fine · march · saw · roll · hide · bay · lean

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. roll — a list
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lean — thin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. march — the month
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lean — to bend
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — all right
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. march — music

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