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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 116 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. club — for dancing
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. root — of a word
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. bore — to drill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bore — to tire
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chair — a leader
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. root — the cause

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