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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.

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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mark — a trace
  5. file — a line of people
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitch — completely
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. file — a tool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. content — happy
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. content — the amount
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. file — a document
  24. fan — a supporter

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