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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 120 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 · ball · present · cell · content · file · trunk · coach

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a line of people
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a document
  7. cell — a phone
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. file — a tool
  15. present — the time now
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lie — to recline
  18. content — the amount
  19. cell — in biology
  20. content — happy
  21. present — a gift
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. present — there
  24. ball — a great time

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