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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. present — there
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. capital — a city
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. capital — money
  18. present — a gift
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. present — the time now
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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