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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mate — a partner
  4. land — ground
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a trace
  9. firm — a company
  10. land — to come down
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mark — a grade
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. land — a country

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