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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. toast — bread
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. row — a line
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mine — an explosive

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