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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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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: rest · rock · trunk · racket · club · patient · chest · bay

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rock — a stone
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. club — for golf
  15. rest — a break
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — a box
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rock — music
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

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