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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mark — a grade
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bass — low music
  9. key — in music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fine — high quality
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fine — all right
  21. branch — a division
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. key — the most important part
  24. racket — for tennis

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