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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. saw — the tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cell — in biology
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. cell — a phone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. saw — the tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. racket — for tennis

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