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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. prune — to trim
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. current — happening now
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. current — electric
  10. kid — to tease
  11. rock — a stone
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. kid — child
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. season — in sport
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. current — of water
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. season — of the year
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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