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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.

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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: foot · racket · game · lie · race · trunk · board · calf

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. board — to get on
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. game — wild animals
  8. race — a contest
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. board — a committee

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