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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: fan · chip · leaves · trunk · bowl · march · net · racket

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. march — the month
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chip — to eat
  15. net — for catching
  16. march — the month
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — in sport
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. march — music
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. net — after costs
  24. bowl — a football final

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