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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. 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. mouse — the animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — steady
  5. object — an aim
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. firm — a company
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — to protest
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a great time
  14. object — a thing
  15. branch — a division
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. spring — of water
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — a coil
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a dance
  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