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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. last — finally
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. land — ground
  9. present — there
  10. land — to come down
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. land — a country
  15. firm — decided
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. last — final
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. last — to go on

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