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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ground — crushed
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — to tire
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ground — the earth
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bore — to drill
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. swing — music
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ground — a position
  24. deal — to handle

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