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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lean — thin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lean — to bend

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