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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.

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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: chair · rest · foot · sharp · trunk · plane · chip · present

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. present — a gift
  6. foot — a measure
  7. chip — to eat
  8. present — there
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rest — a break
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. present — the time now

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