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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. tear — from crying
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. object — to protest
  14. foot — a measure
  15. deal — to handle
  16. sharp — clever
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tear — to rip
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. tear — from crying
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. foot — the bottom

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