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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 124 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wake — a trail
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. foot — a measure
  6. march — the month
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. march — the month
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. deal — to handle
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rock — music
  24. march — music

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