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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. present — the time now
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mate — to breed
  9. suit — in cards
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. suit — clothes
  12. present — there
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chair — a leader
  20. present — a gift
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitch — completely

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