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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 116 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: rock · patient · cue · lie · spell · racket · trunk · safe

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — for pool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. spell — letters
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — a stone
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cue — a hint
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — a strongbox

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