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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lean — thin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bass — the fish
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a face
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fine — high quality
  12. key — in music
  13. bass — low music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fine — all right
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. spell — magic
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — a penalty

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