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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 124 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pop — music
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. drill — the tool
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mug — to rob
  10. craft — a skill
  11. board — to get on
  12. pop — soda
  13. craft — boats
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mug — a face
  18. drill — army training
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. drill — a practice
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. board — a committee
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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