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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. swing — music
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. swing — to play on
  8. staff — a stick
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — an amount
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. degree — temperature
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. degree — from a university
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. staff — employees
  20. kick — in football
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. staff — employees
  24. swing — in golf

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