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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mark — a trace
  3. present — there
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — the time now
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. tube — a container
  18. stock — goods
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. present — a gift
  22. stock — shares
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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