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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. current — happening now
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. object — to protest
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. object — a thing
  12. cell — a phone
  13. object — an aim
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pitch — completely
  17. current — electric
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cell — in biology
  22. current — of water
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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