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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — a partner
  5. object — a thing
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mug — a cup
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. plane — a tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mate — a friend
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — an aim
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mug — a face
  22. object — to protest
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chair — to sit on

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