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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — music
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bulb — for light
  8. current — happening now
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — to grow
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cell — a phone
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. current — of water
  22. swing — in golf
  23. current — electric
  24. hide — animal skin

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