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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. foot — a measure
  5. board — a committee
  6. can — to be able to
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — clever
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. can — a tin
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. field — a subject
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. field — for sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. trunk — of a tree

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