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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rest — what's left
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. spring — a coil
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rush — hurry
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tear — from crying
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. scale — in music
  16. spring — of water
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rush — to hurry

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