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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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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: trunk · saw · staff · mark · wave · mug · court · object

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — a face
  3. staff — employees
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mark — a grade
  6. object — to protest
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. court — of law
  11. staff — a stick
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — a thing
  15. mug — to rob
  16. court — for sport
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. court — of a king
  19. mug — a cup
  20. object — an aim
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. staff — employees
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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