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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. spell — a short time
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mate — to breed
  6. spell — letters
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. drill — army training
  9. pit — in a race
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. spell — magic
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mate — a partner
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stock — shares

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