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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. kick — in football
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bark — to shout
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wind — moving air
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wind — moving air
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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