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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. tear — from crying
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. snap — to click
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. tear — from crying
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. board — to get on
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. tear — to rip
  23. board — a committee
  24. cabinet — ministers

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