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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. charge — in control
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fork — in a road
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. nail — on a finger

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