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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — help
  14. rest — what's left
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rest — a break
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bark — to shout
  22. rest — what's left
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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