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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ball — a great time
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pit — in a race
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pit — a hole
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — shares
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — goods
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. prune — to trim
  24. sharp — clever

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