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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. spring — the season
  4. bank — for money
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tear — to rip
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. spring — a coil
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bank — for money
  15. tear — from crying
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. spring — of water
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — to fit
  24. trunk — of a tree

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