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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rule — government
  3. craft — boats
  4. pitch — completely
  5. object — to protest
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rule — a law
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. object — a thing
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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