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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — for digging
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. band — a music group
  18. key — for a lock
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. key — in music

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