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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. court — for sport
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. tear — from crying
  11. court — of law
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. deal — to handle
  15. scale — size or range
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mug — a cup
  19. court — of a king
  20. dip — to sink
  21. scale — in music
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. tear — to rip
  24. deal — an agreement

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