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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — in music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bound — tied together
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bass — low music
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bound — obliged
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bound — certain
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. drill — army training

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