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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — a line
  6. mate — a friend
  7. prune — to trim
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. mate — a partner
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mate — to breed
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stand — to bear

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