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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — for betting
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. scale — in music
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. staff — employees
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. staff — a stick
  18. chip — to eat
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pit — in a race
  24. scale — for weighing

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