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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.

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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. row — a line
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. firm — a company
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. ball — a great time
  15. firm — steady
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. row — to paddle
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. firm — decided
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wave — with your hand

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