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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. ground — the earth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. current — electric
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fine — high quality
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ground — a position
  11. capital — money
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wake — a trail
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. capital — a city
  17. fine — all right
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. current — of water
  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