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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 124 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pound — a weight
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitch — completely
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. straw — dry grass

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