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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. stock — shares
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — there
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. present — a gift
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. last — to go on
  18. stock — goods
  19. last — finally
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. last — final

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