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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. present — the time now
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stock — goods
  10. object — a thing
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bound — certain
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. object — an aim
  18. charge — electricity
  19. object — to protest
  20. bound — obliged
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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