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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — wild animals
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. scale — size or range
  23. game — a match
  24. root — of a word

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