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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chip — to eat
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chest — of your body
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. chest — a box
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — in cards

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