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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — steady
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. firm — a company
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mug — a cup
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — a trace
  16. club — a group
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. club — for golf
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bore — to drill
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. mug — a face

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