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

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. club — for golf
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rush — hurry
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — to handle
  12. field — for sport
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. foot — a measure
  19. club — for dancing
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. club — a group
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — farmland
  24. rush — to hurry

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