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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. suit — to fit
  5. club — for golf
  6. suit — in cards
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stock — goods
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stock — shares
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. content — the amount
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. club — a group
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lean — thin
  23. content — happy
  24. straw — dry grass

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