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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mug — a face
  4. degree — an amount
  5. mug — a cup
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — temperature
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pit — in a race
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. swing — music
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. degree — from a university
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mug — to rob
  23. swing — in golf
  24. cabinet — ministers

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