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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — a stick
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — a thing
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — of law
  11. staff — employees
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — to protest
  15. court — for sport
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. court — of a king
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. object — an aim
  24. racket — for tennis

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