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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: trunk · coach · tube · chest · swing · suit · face · bay

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. swing — to play on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. tube — a container
  5. chest — a box
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. face — to confront
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. face — to point toward
  11. suit — clothes
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. swing — music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chest — of your body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. swing — in golf
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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