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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. land — a country
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. land — to come down
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fine — all right
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fine — high quality
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — in sport
  20. scale — size or range
  21. land — ground
  22. season — of the year
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — for spectators

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