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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. object — an aim
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. club — for golf
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — shares
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stock — goods
  16. object — to protest
  17. club — a group
  18. can — to be able to
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — a thing
  24. temple — a place of worship

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