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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. face — to confront
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. spring — of water
  18. rest — what's left
  19. face — to point toward
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spring — the season
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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