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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. rest — a break
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. track — a song
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mine — for digging
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — to recline
  24. track — a path

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