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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ground — a position
  8. object — to protest
  9. bass — low music
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — a company
  13. bass — the fish
  14. sharp — clever
  15. firm — steady
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ground — the earth
  19. object — an aim
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. object — a thing
  24. firm — decided

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