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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to click
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. charge — electricity
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cap — a hat
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rash — hasty
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. racket — for tennis

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