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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. board — to get on
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. suit — to fit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. foot — a measure
  20. board — a committee
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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