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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. wake — a trail
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. root — the cause
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. object — an aim
  8. bat — the animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — in cards
  12. game — wild animals
  13. object — a thing
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. root — of a word
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. object — to protest
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. root — of a plant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. game — a match
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. suit — clothes

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