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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. band — a ring
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. band — a music group
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rest — a break
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rest — what's left

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