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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. squash — to crush
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — in control
  17. fork — in a road
  18. roll — a list
  19. charge — a price
  20. squash — the sport
  21. race — humankind
  22. charge — electricity
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. roll — a cake

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