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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 116 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rule — government
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — the underground
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rule — a law
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. tube — a container
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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