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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 124 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ground — the earth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. net — for catching
  8. charge — in control
  9. deal — to handle
  10. ground — a position
  11. charge — a price
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. net — in sport
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. net — after costs
  24. charge — electricity

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