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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 116 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cap — a lid
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cap — of ice
  24. coach — a trainer

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