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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. root — of a word
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. root — the cause
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. root — of a plant

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