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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mug — a face
  6. wind — moving air
  7. file — a tool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. club — for golf
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. club — a group
  15. file — a document
  16. wind — moving air
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pop — music
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pop — soda

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