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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. object — a thing
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ground — a position
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — the earth
  8. object — to protest
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. object — an aim
  13. cell — a phone
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tube — a container
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hand — help
  18. tube — the underground
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cell — in biology
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ground — crushed
  24. trunk — of a car

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