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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chip — for betting
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. trunk — of a tree

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