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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. net — for catching
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. net — in sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cell — in biology
  20. net — after costs
  21. cell — a phone
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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