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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. charge — electricity
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. degree — temperature
  8. kid — to tease
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. key — in music
  12. charge — in control
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. charge — a price
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. key — for a lock

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