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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — employees
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. vault — a safe
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. suit — in cards

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