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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pop — to visit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. firm — a company
  7. race — a contest
  8. foot — a measure
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pop — music
  14. press — newspapers
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — the arms race
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pop — soda
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. firm — steady
  24. trunk — of a car

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