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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mug — a face
  3. object — a thing
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mug — to rob
  6. object — an aim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. degree — from a university
  10. game — a match
  11. object — to protest
  12. game — wild animals
  13. degree — an amount
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. saw — the tool
  19. degree — temperature
  20. mug — a cup
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. staff — employees
  24. trunk — of a car

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