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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 116 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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. firm — decided
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. firm — steady
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — a company
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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