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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. scale — in music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bank — for money
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stand — to bear
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mug — a face
  24. stand — on your feet

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