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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · key · trunk · wave · bulb · mine

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mine — for digging
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. wave — of the sea

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