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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: jam · mouse · racket · patient · net · tube · trunk · ball

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. tube — the underground
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — after costs
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. net — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. tube — a container
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ball — a dance
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. jam — a tight spot

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