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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. scale — size or range
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. club — for golf
  6. dip — to sink
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. fine — high quality
  11. snap — to click
  12. fine — all right
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. scale — in music
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pound — a weight
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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