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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — in cards
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — clothes
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. race — humankind
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rule — government
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rule — a law
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  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