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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wax — to grow
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rock — to move gently

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