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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. net — for catching
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. scale — size or range
  5. net — after costs
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cue — for pool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — in sport
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. present — a gift
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a hint
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. present — the time now
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cue — a signal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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