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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.

Make a worksheet

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: trunk · key · dip · perch · spring · racket · pop · mate

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. spring — of water
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. mate — a partner
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mate — to breed
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pop — to visit
  22. spring — the season
  23. perch — for a bird
  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