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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ball — a great time
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tear — to rip
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. vault — a safe
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. tear — from crying
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pound — a weight
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. tear — from crying

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