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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. kid — to tease
  10. key — for a lock
  11. kid — child
  12. rock — music
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. key — in music
  24. trunk — of a car

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