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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. scale — in music
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chest — a box
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. face — to confront
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. spell — magic
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. face — to point toward
  16. spell — a short time
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chest — of your body
  19. spell — letters
  20. root — of a word
  21. chest — of your body
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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