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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. firm — a company
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bound — certain
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. cap — a hat
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bound — tied together
  22. toast — bread
  23. cap — a lid
  24. firm — decided

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