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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mug — a face
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. ball — a great time

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