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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: content · ball · lash · racket · trunk · rock · bay · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. content — the amount
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — music
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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