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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cue — a hint
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cue — for pool
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mug — a cup
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mug — to rob
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cue — a signal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. nail — on a finger

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