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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. present — the time now
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. present — there
  6. ground — the earth
  7. present — a gift
  8. chip — for betting
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bound — tied together
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bound — certain
  17. ground — crushed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bass — low music
  22. ground — a position
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bound — obliged

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