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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The elephant has 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. trunk — of a tree
  3. spring — a coil
  4. object — a thing
  5. band — a music group
  6. object — to protest
  7. lean — thin
  8. object — an aim
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. spring — the season
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. toast — bread
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. spring — of water
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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