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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. band — a ring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. band — a music group
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bound — certain
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mark — a trace
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. net — after costs
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pass — a permit

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