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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. scale — in music
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. can — a tin
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — a path
  10. can — a tin
  11. track — a song
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rash — a series
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. track — to keep track
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. scale — size or range

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