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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. toast — bread
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. cabinet — ministers

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