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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to click
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. game — a match
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — a tool
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — a measure
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. game — wild animals

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