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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mine — for digging
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. spell — letters
  10. face — to confront
  11. spell — a short time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — to point toward
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. face — part of the head
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. spell — magic
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. dip — to sink

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