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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. charge — a price
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spell — letters
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — electricity
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. spell — a short time
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. charge — in control
  23. wave — with your hand
  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