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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wound — an injury
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. charge — a price
  21. snap — to click
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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