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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wind — moving air
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. staff — employees
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. charge — electricity
  18. snap — to click
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wind — moving air

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