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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — government
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mug — to rob
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rule — a law
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rule — to rule out

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