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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. land — a country
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. land — to come down
  15. key — for a lock
  16. land — ground
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fork — in a road
  19. kid — child
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. kid — to tease
  24. key — in music

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