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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: rock · trunk · can · staff · fine · swing · last · mine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. staff — a stick
  3. last — to go on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rock — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. swing — to play on
  12. staff — employees
  13. mine — for digging
  14. swing — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rock — a stone
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. fine — high quality
  24. trunk — of a car

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