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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 120 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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. net — in sport
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. net — for catching
  10. rash — a series
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cap — a lid
  15. charge — electricity
  16. net — after costs
  17. charge — in control
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cap — a hat
  24. charge — a price

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