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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chest — of your body
  3. club — for golf
  4. bat — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. can — to be able to
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — a tin
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mark — a trace
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. key — the most important part
  17. club — for dancing
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. chest — a box
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. club — a group

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