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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pitch — completely
  8. scale — in music
  9. shower — to wash
  10. press — newspapers
  11. staff — employees
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. staff — employees
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. press — to push
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. shower — rain
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. press — a publisher
  24. scale — size or range

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