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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. scale — size or range
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bank — for money
  9. band — a music group
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. scale — in music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. band — a ring
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — a path
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. track — a song
  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