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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 120 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ground — a position
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wax — to grow
  24. trunk — of a car

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