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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: ruler · dip · present · race · wave · fall · trunk · key

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fall — the season
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. race — a contest
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. race — the arms race
  12. fall — to drop
  13. race — humankind
  14. key — the most important part
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. present — there
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. present — a gift
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fall — to drop
  23. key — in music
  24. present — the time now

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