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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 116 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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. firm — decided
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — a company
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mine — for digging
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. firm — steady
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. snap — to click

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