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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — of water
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. clip — a video
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. spring — the season
  17. clip — to cut
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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