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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 · wake · roll · club · field · ruler · trunk · fan

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. field — farmland
  3. club — a group
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. roll — a list
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — a subject
  18. club — for golf
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. field — for sport

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