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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. game — wild animals
  3. drill — army training
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — boats
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. craft — a skill
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rest — what's left
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. game — a match
  19. rest — what's left
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rest — a break
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — a place of worship

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