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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ball — a great time
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. band — a music group
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stand — to bear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — a grade
  24. snap — to click

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