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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pop — music
  6. squash — the sport
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pop — soda
  9. vault — a safe
  10. present — the time now
  11. season — of the year
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. present — a gift
  14. chair — a leader
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — there
  19. squash — to crush
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. pop — to visit
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. squash — the vegetable

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