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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 120 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: pound · bat · trunk · rush · charge · nail · racket · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bat — the animal
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — in control
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. charge — a price
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pound — a weight
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. charge — electricity

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