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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. band — a ring
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. race — humankind
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. ball — a great time
  11. row — a line
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. race — a contest
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. suit — to fit
  23. race — the arms race
  24. prune — to trim

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