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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. track — a song
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. track — to keep track
  6. chip — for betting
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. firm — decided
  10. chip — to eat
  11. present — the time now
  12. bound — obliged
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. present — a gift
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. firm — steady
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. track — a path
  23. present — there
  24. mine — for digging

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