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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. tube — a container
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stock — shares
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bound — tied together
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bound — certain

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