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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — in a race
  9. chair — a leader
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. staff — employees
  13. perch — the fish
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. staff — a stick
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. trunk — of a tree

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