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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · straw · bulb · trunk · bore · club · stem · board

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. club — for golf
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bore — to tire
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — a committee
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stem — to come from
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. board — to get on
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stem — of a plant

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