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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. sharp — clever
  10. chip — for betting
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. current — happening now
  13. chip — to eat
  14. current — electric
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. current — of water

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