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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. firm — decided
  5. present — there
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. key — the most important part
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. present — a gift
  14. key — in music
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. vault — a safe
  17. present — the time now
  18. firm — steady
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. firm — a company
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. racket — a loud noise

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