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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — bread
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rock — music
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rush — hurry
  15. foot — a measure
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wave — of the sea

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