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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bound — obliged
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. date — the fruit
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bound — certain
  14. shower — rain
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bound — tied together
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. chip — to eat
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. kick — a thrill

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