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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: wave · leaves · cap · present · lie · perch · trunk · sharp

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. present — a gift
  4. cap — a hat
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cap — of ice
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. present — the time now
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cap — a lid
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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