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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. club — a group
  7. game — wild animals
  8. stem — to come from
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. game — a match
  17. club — for golf
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. foot — a measure
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. foot — the bottom

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