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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. land — ground
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. land — a country
  12. firm — a company
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — a match
  16. land — to come down
  17. game — wild animals
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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