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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ground — a position
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — steady
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — the earth
  11. firm — decided
  12. rule — a law
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stem — to come from
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ground — crushed
  19. firm — a company
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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