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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 120 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. mark — a grade
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. vault — a safe
  6. club — for golf
  7. board — to get on
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. club — for dancing
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. board — a committee
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. suit — clothes
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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