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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. race — the arms race
  3. face — to confront
  4. race — humankind
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — a division
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. swing — to play on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. content — the amount
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. face — to point toward
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. race — a contest
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. swing — music
  24. face — part of the head

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