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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — to rob
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tube — the underground
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bulb — for light
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mug — a face
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. scale — size or range
  13. tube — a container
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bowl — a football final

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