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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. swing — in golf
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pound — a weight
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wound — an injury
  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