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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 116 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
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: trunk · pass · plane · fall · field · pitcher · root · leaves

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. field — farmland
  11. fall — the season
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pass — a permit
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fall — to drop
  21. field — for sport
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. field — a subject
  24. root — of a plant

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