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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. staff — employees
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. staff — employees
  11. fine — high quality
  12. staff — a stick
  13. fine — all right
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stock — shares
  16. court — for sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — goods
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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