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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. can — a tin
  9. drill — a practice
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lean — thin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. season — of the year
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. season — in sport
  23. wake — a trail
  24. season — to add flavour

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