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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: patient · ball · rock · pound · trunk · cell · lie · object

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pound — a weight
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. lie — to recline
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — a thing
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — to protest
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cell — a phone
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rock — music
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. object — an aim

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