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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mate — a friend
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rash — a series
  5. sharp — clever
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. toast — bread
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — to breed
  14. hand — in cards
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mate — a partner
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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