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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. chest — of your body
  4. club — a group
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. chip — to eat
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. chest — a box
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. trunk — of a car

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