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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 120 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — a coil
  8. can — to be able to
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — of a king
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — of water
  14. can — a tin
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spring — the season
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. 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