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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. content — the amount
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — an aim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lean — thin
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rest — what's left
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pound — a weight
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. content — happy
  24. nail — on a finger

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