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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.

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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: lie · tear · trunk · face · bowl · calf · track · club

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lie — to recline
  4. track — a song
  5. club — for golf
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — a group
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — a path
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. face — to confront
  16. tear — from crying
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. club — for dancing
  22. face — to point toward
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. track — to keep track

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