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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 116 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pop — music
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bound — obliged
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rule — government
  8. can — a tin
  9. bound — certain
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. shower — rain
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — tied together
  18. lie — to recline
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. rule — a law
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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