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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. club — for dancing
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — a group
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pop — to visit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. club — for golf
  24. pound — a weight

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