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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bound — certain
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bound — tied together
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pit — in a race
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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