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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rush — hurry
  8. toast — bread
  9. pop — music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pop — soda
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rash — a series
  22. bass — low music
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bound — certain

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