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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. lean — to bend
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — a company
  14. lean — thin
  15. kid — child
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. club — for dancing
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. kid — to tease
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. branch — a division
  23. fine — all right
  24. branch — of a bank

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