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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. dip — to sink
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. charge — a price
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bound — certain
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. club — a group
  10. firm — decided
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mark — a trace
  13. firm — steady
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mark — a grade
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bound — obliged
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bound — tied together
  23. charge — in control
  24. club — for golf

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