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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. club — a group
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. key — for a lock
  12. prune — to trim
  13. row — to paddle
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. club — for golf
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — in music
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. club — for dancing
  24. trunk — of a tree

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