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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. object — to protest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — happening now
  5. object — a thing
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. season — of the year
  9. court — of law
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of a king
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. craft — boats
  16. current — of water
  17. key — for a lock
  18. object — an aim
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. current — electric
  21. season — in sport
  22. key — in music
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. key — the most important part

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