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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stock — shares
  11. wake — a trail
  12. root — of a plant
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. root — the cause
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. root — of a word
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — in football
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stock — goods

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