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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: foot · trunk · spell · dip · racket · mate · jam · cap

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mate — a friend
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. spell — letters
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. dip — to sink
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cap — a lid
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cap — of ice
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — a hat

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