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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. prune — to trim
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. chip — for betting
  7. club — a group
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. club — for golf
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mug — to rob
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. capital — a city
  17. chip — to eat
  18. club — for dancing
  19. mug — a cup
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. capital — money
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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