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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. roll — a list
  5. drill — the tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. spring — the season
  9. drill — army training
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. roll — a cake
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spring — a coil
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. suit — in cards
  17. spring — of water
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. drill — a practice

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