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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. key — for a lock
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ball — a dance
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rock — music
  14. key — in music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. prune — to trim
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rock — a stone
  21. wound — an injury
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ball — a great time
  24. prune — the fruit

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