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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rest — a break
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. board — to get on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. can — a tin
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fine — all right
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. squash — to crush
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rest — what's left
  18. board — a committee
  19. fine — high quality
  20. squash — the sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. can — to be able to

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