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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: field · swing · trunk · shower · wax · racket · stand · cabinet

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. shower — to wash
  3. field — a subject
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — in golf
  6. field — for sport
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. shower — rain
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. swing — music
  11. field — farmland
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wax — to grow
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. trunk — of a car

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