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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pit — in a race
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pit — a hole
  17. spring — the season
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. swing — music
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spring — of water

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