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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. shower — rain
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chip — for betting
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. club — a group
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. shower — to wash
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rush — hurry
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. club — for golf
  18. rush — to hurry

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