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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bound — certain
  3. mug — a face
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bound — obliged
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mug — a cup
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — in biology
  16. wake — a trail
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bound — tied together
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rock — music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cell — a phone
  24. leaves — lets stay

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