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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. prune — to trim
  5. march — the month
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. march — the month
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. dip — to sink
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. object — a thing
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. object — to protest
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. march — music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. object — an aim

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