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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wound — an injury
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. sharp — clever
  9. deal — to handle
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. board — to get on
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. board — a committee
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wound — an injury

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