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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pit — a hole
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lean — thin
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — to bend

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