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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. spring — the season
  4. court — of law
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spring — a coil
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. land — ground
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. land — to come down
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spring — of water
  14. land — a country
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. suit — to fit
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. calf — a young animal

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