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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. chip — to eat
  10. branch — a division
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a great time

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