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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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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 is an ace ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — a company
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — to fit
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. suit — clothes
  18. trunk — of a car

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