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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lie — to recline
  3. firm — steady
  4. branch — a division
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rock — a stone
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rock — music
  15. bark — to shout
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. present — the time now
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. firm — decided
  21. present — a gift
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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