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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bear — the animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. patient — a sick person

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