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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · mug · trunk · rock · object · field · mate · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. object — to protest
  3. mate — a partner
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mate — a friend
  8. object — a thing
  9. rock — a stone
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rash — a series
  19. field — farmland
  20. rock — music
  21. rash — hasty
  22. object — an aim
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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