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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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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: suit · pitcher · kid · spring · wave · trunk · board · mug

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. spring — the season
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. spring — of water
  9. board — a committee
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mug — a face
  17. board — to get on
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. kid — to tease
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. kid — child
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mug — to rob
  24. suit — clothes

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