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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. can — to be able to
  4. club — a group
  5. object — to protest
  6. degree — temperature
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. club — for dancing
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. track — to keep track
  13. degree — an amount
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. club — for golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. degree — from a university
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. track — a song
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. track — a path

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