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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. track — to keep track
  3. charge — electricity
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pit — a hole
  6. firm — decided
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. band — a ring
  9. firm — steady
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. track — a path
  12. press — to push
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. band — a music group
  15. firm — a company
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. press — a publisher
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pit — in a race
  21. charge — a price
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. track — a song
  24. charge — in control

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