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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: can · foot · racket · firm · scale · trunk · bark · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. season — of the year
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. foot — a measure
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — size or range
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. scale — in music
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. season — to add flavour

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