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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. firm — a company
  4. file — a tool
  5. lean — to bend
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. file — a document
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. firm — steady
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. file — a line of people
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. suit — in cards
  19. snap — to click
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lean — thin
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. firm — decided

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