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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. press — newspapers
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. court — of a king
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. court — for sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — to shout
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. press — to push
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. sharp — clever
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bank — for money

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