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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 116 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. spring — of water
  3. wake — a trail
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. spell — a short time
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. charge — in control
  12. spell — letters
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. charge — a price
  15. cue — a signal
  16. spell — magic
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season

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