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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — to eat
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bat — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chip — for betting
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wind — to turn a key

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