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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rash — hasty
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — for dancing
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rash — a series
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. club — for golf
  12. staff — employees
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. club — a group
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bowl — to roll

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