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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rock — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. file — a tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fall — the season
  14. cue — a hint
  15. file — a document
  16. cue — for pool
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — a grade

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