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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.

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: racket · nail · trunk · pop · bound · patient · bass · squash

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — to crush
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bass — low music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pop — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — certain
  15. pop — to visit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bass — the fish
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. squash — the sport
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — the instrument

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