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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 124 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — to play on
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. swing — in golf
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. pop — soda
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pop — music
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. craft — boats
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fine — high quality
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. swing — music
  24. bass — low music

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