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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. present — there
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. kick — in football
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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