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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. row — a line
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. row — to paddle
  17. net — in sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. net — after costs
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. trunk — of a tree

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