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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. club — for golf
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. firm — decided
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. firm — steady
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. scale — in music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mate — a partner
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. scale — size or range
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mate — to breed
  21. firm — a company
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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