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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. object — an aim
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. toast — bread
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. object — to protest
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. branch — a division
  18. bear — the animal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. craft — a skill
  24. branch — of a tree

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