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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: band · racket · spring · trunk · sharp · rock · wake · kid

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. spring — a coil
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. spring — of water
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spring — the season
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — a stone
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rock — music
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. band — a music group
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. band — a ring
  18. sharp — clever
  19. kid — child
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wake — a trail
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. kid — to tease

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