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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. perch — the fish
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. file — a document
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. charge — a price
  9. kid — child
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. ball — a great time
  14. firm — a company
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. kid — to tease
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. ball — a dance

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