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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stock — goods
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stock — shares
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. saw — the tool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. dip — to sink
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. suit — in cards
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. press — to push
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. dip — to dunk

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