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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rule — government
  6. cap — a hat
  7. face — to confront
  8. firm — a company
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. face — part of the head
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. rule — a law
  22. firm — decided
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mouse — the animal

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