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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: trunk · wave · key · rash · land · chip · firm · present

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rash — a series
  8. firm — decided
  9. land — a country
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chip — to eat
  12. firm — a company
  13. land — to come down
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chip — for betting
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. land — ground
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. present — a gift

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