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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. present — a gift
  5. firm — decided
  6. rule — government
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. firm — steady
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mine — for digging
  14. last — finally
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. firm — a company
  24. trunk — of a car

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