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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lie — to recline
  5. firm — decided
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. object — to protest
  8. spell — letters
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. firm — steady
  12. spell — magic
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. firm — a company
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — goods
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — an aim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pitch — completely
  24. object — a thing

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