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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.

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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. toast — bread
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stock — shares
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — goods
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wound — an injury

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