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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. row — to paddle
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. row — a line
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rash — a series
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. trunk — of a tree

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