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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rock — a stone
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rock — music
  12. board — a committee
  13. bat — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. racket — a loud noise

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