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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.

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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: plane · file · staff · trunk · wound · bowl · chest · racket

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. chest — of your body
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. file — a document
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. file — a tool
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. chest — of your body
  11. file — a line of people
  12. staff — employees
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. staff — employees
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wound — an injury
  21. chest — a box
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wound — an injury

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