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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bank — of a river
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. season — of the year
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. last — final
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. last — finally
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — to go on
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — the fruit

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