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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pop — music
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. pop — to visit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pop — soda
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rash — on the skin

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