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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — a path
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. row — to paddle
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — to keep track
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. row — a line
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. track — a song
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stand — to bear
  24. trunk — of a car

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