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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. date — the fruit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. race — humankind
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. race — a contest
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cell — in biology
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cell — a phone
  24. leaves — to go away

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