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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. suit — in cards
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fine — all right
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. game — wild animals
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. suit — clothes
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bound — tied together
  18. suit — to fit
  19. game — a match
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bound — certain

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