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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. file — a tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. file — a document
  6. staff — employees
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fine — high quality
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. craft — a skill
  12. court — for sport
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. staff — a stick
  15. fine — all right
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. court — of law
  20. craft — boats
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. key — in music
  24. court — of a king

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