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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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Word bank
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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: hide · game · trunk · wave · can · bark · bulb · leaves

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bulb — for light
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. can — a tin
  21. game — a match
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. leaves — lets stay

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