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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. net — after costs
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fork — in a road
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — in sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mug — a cup
  19. net — for catching
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mug — a face
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. trunk — of a car

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