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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: object · lash · trunk · club · squash · mark · court · row

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. object — a thing
  3. club — a group
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — to crush
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — for dancing
  13. court — of law
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. object — to protest
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. object — an aim
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. row — a line
  22. court — for sport
  23. club — for golf
  24. squash — the vegetable

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