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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 120 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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chest — a box
  7. swing — in golf
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. swing — music
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — to fit
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. present — there
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. swing — to play on
  24. safe — a strongbox

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