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

Word bank: suit · trunk · court · object · arm · track · dip · pop

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. court — for sport
  3. suit — clothes
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pop — music
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. object — an aim
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. track — to keep track
  10. dip — to sink
  11. suit — to fit
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. object — to protest
  16. track — a song
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. pop — to visit
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. suit — in cards
  22. track — a path
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pop — soda

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