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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 120 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. object — to protest
  4. content — happy
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ball — a dance
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. content — the amount
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mark — a trace
  14. press — a publisher
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. press — to push
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — a thing

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