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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. land — to come down
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mug — a cup
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. land — a country
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. deal — to handle
  18. prune — to trim
  19. tube — a container
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mug — to rob
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — a face

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