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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. firm — decided
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. prune — to trim
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. firm — steady
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. press — a publisher

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