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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. race — the arms race
  3. snap — to click
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. can — to be able to
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. race — a contest
  12. date — the fruit
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — humankind
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. band — a music group
  24. date — on the calendar

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