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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. swing — music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. perch — the fish
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chest — of your body
  21. swing — to play on
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — a strongbox

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