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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. club — a group
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — for betting
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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