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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mate — a friend

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