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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rock — music
  7. rush — hurry
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — thin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. last — finally
  20. last — final
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. last — to go on

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