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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. spring — a coil
  24. 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