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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. present — the time now
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. lean — thin
  15. mate — to breed
  16. land — ground
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. land — a country

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