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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cold — an illness
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cold — not warm

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