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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. sharp — clever
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. club — for golf
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. spell — letters
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. spell — a short time
  12. club — for dancing
  13. spell — magic
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. current — electric
  20. tube — a container
  21. current — of water
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. current — happening now
  24. stand — on your feet

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