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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rush — hurry
  4. club — a group
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stand — to bear
  8. club — for golf
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wound — an injury
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. craft — boats
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bound — obliged
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bound — certain
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mate — a partner

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