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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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. The water is too ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cold — not warm
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rule — government
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. cold — an illness
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mug — a cup
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rest — a break
  22. mug — a face
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rule — a law

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