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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — electricity
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pop — soda
  8. mate — to breed
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mate — a partner
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pop — music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wound — an injury
  21. plane — a tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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