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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rule — a law
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rule — government
  8. swing — in golf
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chair — a leader
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. swing — music
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. swing — to play on
  24. chair — a professorship

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