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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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. hand — help
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bank — of a river
  7. hand — in cards
  8. race — the arms race
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. drill — a practice
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. race — humankind
  18. charge — a price
  19. race — a contest
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. drill — the tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a dance

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