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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: lean · hide · rock · chip · ground · mark · trunk · club

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. club — a group
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. club — for dancing
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lean — to bend
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rock — music
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mark — a trace
  23. chip — for betting
  24. club — for golf

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