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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cell — in biology
  3. net — in sport
  4. lean — to bend
  5. net — after costs
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. lean — thin
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. chip — for betting
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. last — final
  14. suit — clothes
  15. last — to go on
  16. net — for catching
  17. cell — a phone
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. last — finally
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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