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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · lean · stick · deal · rest · wave · craft · snap

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. snap — to click
  6. craft — boats
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rest — what's left
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rest — a break
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rest — what's left
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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