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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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 a tree
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — a grade
  10. degree — temperature
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cold — not warm
  18. degree — from a university
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cold — an illness
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  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