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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. present — there
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rash — a series
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bound — tied together
  9. present — the time now
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bound — certain
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rest — a break
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — a gift
  19. bound — obliged
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — to handle

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