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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: trunk · chest · suit · staff · lie · bulb · kick · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — in football
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chest — of your body
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chest — a box
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. trunk — of a car

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