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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. land — ground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rule — government
  13. land — a country
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rock — music
  17. land — to come down
  18. ground — a position
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. mouse — the animal

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