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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wake — a trail
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pop — soda
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pop — music
  19. lean — thin
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. toast — bread
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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