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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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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: present · cap · mark · leaves · squash · racket · trunk · drill

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. drill — army training
  3. squash — to crush
  4. drill — the tool
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. squash — the sport
  7. drill — a practice
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mark — a trace
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. present — there

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