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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rest — a break
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rush — a thrill

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