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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. toast — bread
  5. roll — a cake
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. suit — to fit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. suit — clothes
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. roll — a list
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. patient — a sick person

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