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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — a position
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bank — for money
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mine — for digging
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a dish

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