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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rule — a law
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. rule — government
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bat — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. game — a match
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. game — wild animals

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