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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: dip · bowl · face · trunk · rock · hand · lean · track

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. track — a song
  5. lean — thin
  6. face — part of the head
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. track — a path
  10. rock — music
  11. face — to point toward
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hand — help
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. face — to confront
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. track — to keep track
  24. trunk — of a tree

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