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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chest — a box
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chest — of your body
  10. club — for golf
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. chest — of your body
  13. swing — music
  14. club — a group
  15. firm — decided
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. swing — to play on
  18. firm — a company
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. club — for dancing
  22. firm — steady
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bore — to drill

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