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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cue — a hint
  3. file — a line of people
  4. tear — from crying
  5. vault — a safe
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cue — a signal
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. suit — to fit
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tear — from crying

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