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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. season — of the year
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mug — to rob
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mug — a face
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. season — in sport
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fine — all right
  24. season — to add flavour

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