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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. club — for dancing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. land — a country
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. land — ground
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. club — for golf
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — a group
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. land — to come down
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bowl — to roll

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