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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
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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: spell · march · object · ball · mouse · track · sharp · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. march — the month
  8. track — a song
  9. ball — a great time
  10. object — to protest
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. track — to keep track
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ball — a dance
  18. track — a path
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. object — an aim
  24. spell — magic

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