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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. race — the arms race
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lean — to bend
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. saw — the tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. swing — in golf
  17. race — humankind
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. swing — music
  20. race — a contest
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lean — thin

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