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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 · foot · bank · trunk · nail · season · present · snap

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. foot — a measure
  4. season — of the year
  5. present — the time now
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. season — in sport
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. snap — to click
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bank — of a river
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. present — a gift
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. trunk — of a car

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