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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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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: deal · rest · firm · suit · trunk · mine · nail · season

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. season — of the year
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. suit — clothes
  13. season — in sport
  14. firm — steady
  15. rest — a break
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. rest — what's left
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. suit — to fit
  24. nail — on a finger

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