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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. file — a tool
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bass — low music
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. content — the amount
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bass — the fish
  18. file — a document
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. content — happy
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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