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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. track — a song
  3. sharp — clever
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — a path
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stock — shares
  17. firm — a company
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — steady
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. firm — decided
  24. ruler — a monarch

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