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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. race — a contest
  3. court — for sport
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — the month
  6. chip — for betting
  7. march — the month
  8. court — of law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. board — a committee
  13. march — music
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. board — to get on
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. kick — in football
  22. court — of a king
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chip — to eat

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