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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spring — a coil
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. spring — the season
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — happy
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — for tennis

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