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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. swing — music
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. can — a tin
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. craft — boats
  14. swing — to play on
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bank — for money
  21. chip — for betting
  22. swing — in golf
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. trunk — of a tree

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