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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. craft — boats
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. season — of the year
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cell — a phone
  18. season — in sport
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. craft — a handicraft

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