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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fall — to drop
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bark — to shout
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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