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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. track — a song
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. charge — in control
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. board — to get on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. track — to keep track
  17. board — a committee
  18. pit — in a race
  19. track — a path
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. charge — a price

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