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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — in a road
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. key — the most important part
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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