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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fine — all right
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lean — thin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ball — a great time
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lean — to bend
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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