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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: lash · field · pit · pass · nail · trunk · mine · scale

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. scale — size or range
  5. field — for sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. field — farmland
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. scale — in music
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pit — a hole
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. field — a subject
  24. mine — for digging

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