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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — a hint
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cue — a signal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. tube — a container
  20. rock — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in a prison

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