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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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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 · pit · lash · wave · straw · bore · leaves · wake

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bore — to tire
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bore — gave birth

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