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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. swing — in golf
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ground — crushed
  9. swing — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. craft — a skill
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. tube — the underground
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — the earth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. ground — a position
  24. tube — a container

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