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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pop — to visit
  7. staff — employees
  8. pop — music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. charge — in control
  11. pop — soda
  12. craft — boats
  13. sharp — clever
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mate — a friend
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mate — a partner
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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