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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 120 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: leaves · hide · nail · dip · lean · swing · fork · trunk

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. swing — music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — to play on
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. swing — in golf
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. hide — to keep secret

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