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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 120 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. trunk — of a car
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. firm — a company
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — a gift
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. firm — steady
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. kick — in football
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. swing — to play on
  21. present — there
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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