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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bank — of a river
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. suit — in cards
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. race — humankind
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bark — to shout
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. suit — clothes
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. race — a contest
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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