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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. object — to protest
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. object — a thing
  24. wave — with your hand

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