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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: cell · wave · trunk · rest · safe · lean · board · fall

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fall — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. rest — a break
  9. board — to get on
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lean — thin
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lean — to bend
  24. cell — in biology

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