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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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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: race · roll · object · cabinet · trunk · suit · ball · shower

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. object — a thing
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. race — humankind
  9. shower — to wash
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a dance
  12. object — an aim
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. object — to protest
  17. shower — rain
  18. roll — a list
  19. race — the arms race
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. race — a contest
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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