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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: trunk · chair · bowl · net · bore · wave · racket · can

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — in sport
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. net — after costs
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. can — a tin
  10. chair — a leader
  11. net — for catching
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. racket — a loud noise

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