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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stock — shares
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fine — high quality
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. present — there
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. safe — out of danger

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