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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chest — of your body
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chest — of your body
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. chest — a box
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mouse — the animal

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