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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mug — to rob
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rest — what's left
  6. file — a document
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — obliged
  11. can — a tin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bound — certain
  14. file — a tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chest — a box
  19. bound — tied together
  20. file — a line of people
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mug — a face
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rest — a break

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