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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rock — music
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. pop — music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rash — a series
  12. pop — to visit
  13. key — for a lock
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rock — a stone
  17. key — in music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rash — hasty
  22. vault — a safe
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. racket — a loud noise

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