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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bank — of a river
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — thin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. tube — a container
  17. bass — low music
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bass — the fish

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