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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: racket · trunk · wave · bowl · rule · arm · object · roll

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rule — government
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rule — a law
  21. roll — a list
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. racket — a loud noise

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