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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mug — a cup
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rush — hurry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ruler — for measuring

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