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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — to rob
  8. race — the arms race
  9. deal — to handle
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mug — a face
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — a contest
  22. mug — a cup
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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