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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. swing — music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. field — farmland
  6. mark — a grade
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. can — a tin
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mark — a trace
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — a subject
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rock — a stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — in golf
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. swing — to play on

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