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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bass — low music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. club — for dancing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. club — a group
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of law
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. court — of a king
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bass — the fish

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