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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. firm — a company
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. firm — steady
  6. mug — a cup
  7. band — a music group
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. firm — decided
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. band — a ring
  15. mug — a face
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — a line
  21. row — to paddle
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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