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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. field — for sport
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. field — a subject
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. sharp — clever
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. track — a path
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. drill — army training
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. field — farmland
  24. sharp — exactly

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