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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chest — a box
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fine — high quality
  18. deal — to handle
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fine — all right

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