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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. can — a tin
  5. degree — temperature
  6. can — a tin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wound — an injury
  9. squash — to crush
  10. degree — an amount
  11. wound — an injury
  12. squash — the sport
  13. can — to be able to
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. prune — to trim
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — to fit
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. prune — to trim

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