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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. object — an aim
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cell — a phone
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. firm — steady
  18. object — a thing
  19. bound — obliged
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — music
  24. object — to protest

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