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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 116 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. face — to confront
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. cue — a hint
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cue — for pool
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. face — to point toward
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — in football
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — of a river
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — a signal
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — for money
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — a thrill

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