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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bank — of a river
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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