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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · wave · suit · foot · object · track · root

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fine — high quality
  3. root — of a word
  4. fine — all right
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. object — a thing
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — the cause
  23. foot — a measure
  24. suit — clothes

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