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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. charge — electricity
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. charge — a price

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