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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mark — a trace
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bound — certain
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rest — what's left
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — to sink
  11. scale — in music
  12. rest — a break
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rule — a law
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rule — government
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mark — a grade

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