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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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. track — a song
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rush — hurry
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. court — of law
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. track — a path
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. dip — to sink
  24. trunk — of a tree

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