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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stock — shares
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. club — for golf
  18. stock — goods
  19. bear — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. file — a tool
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. file — a document
  24. club — a group

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