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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. file — a document
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. saw — the tool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. file — a tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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