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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. club — a group
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bass — low music
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. spell — magic
  14. club — for dancing
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. club — for golf

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