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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fall — to drop
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. can — a tin
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. march — music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wax — to grow
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fall — the season

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