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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bound — certain
  5. net — after costs
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bound — obliged
  9. net — in sport
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. bound — tied together
  17. net — for catching
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — to protest
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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