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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. key — in music
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. key — the most important part
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. race — a contest
  11. mug — a face
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — humankind
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. race — the arms race
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. snap — to click
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. suit — to fit
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. key — for a lock

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