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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: mouse · key · ground · mate · capital · rock · bowl · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ground — a position
  7. rock — a stone
  8. key — in music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ground — the earth
  11. capital — money
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rock — music
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. capital — a city
  20. ground — crushed
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. key — the most important part

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