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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. spring — of water
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. spring — the season
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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