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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ground — the earth
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mug — to rob
  6. current — electric
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ground — crushed
  9. swing — in golf
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. current — happening now
  12. staff — employees
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ground — a position
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mug — a cup
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. swing — music
  19. mug — a face
  20. mate — a friend
  21. current — of water
  22. staff — employees
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mate — a partner

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