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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.

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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: lie · chip · trunk · rock · shower · hand · pit · nail

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lie — to recline
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. shower — to wash
  5. hand — help
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. hand — in cards
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rock — music
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. shower — rain
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. nail — on a finger

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