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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — completely
  8. club — a group
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mate — a partner
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. club — for golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. club — for dancing
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mate — a friend
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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