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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 116 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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. firm — a company
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. plane — a tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. firm — steady
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. field — farmland
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. firm — decided
  16. cue — for pool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kid — child
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bank — for money
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — for sport
  24. plane — an aircraft

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