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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. dip — to sink
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. race — a contest
  8. land — to come down
  9. bass — the fish
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. race — humankind
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. land — ground
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. race — the arms race
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. land — a country
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bass — low music
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. game — a match
  24. racket — a loud noise

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