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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · jam · board · land · toast · trunk · lean · present

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. present — there
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lie — to recline
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. land — ground
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. land — a country
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — a committee
  16. present — a gift
  17. land — to come down
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — bread
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. board — to get on
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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