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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: mate · land · toast · rock · nail · trunk · cabinet · racket

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rock — music
  6. land — a country
  7. toast — bread
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. land — ground
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. land — to come down
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mate — a friend
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mate — to breed

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