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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mine — for digging
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. current — of water
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. current — electric
  21. lean — thin
  22. chip — to eat
  23. current — happening now
  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