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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lean — thin
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bass — low music
  14. scale — in music
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. scale — size or range
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bass — the fish
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — for weighing

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