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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 120 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: racket · field · ball · trunk · chip · lean · nail · foot

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — to bend
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — farmland
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lean — thin
  11. field — for sport
  12. ball — a great time
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. foot — a measure
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ball — a dance
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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