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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.

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: spell · lie · lean · mark · bear · wave · squash · trunk

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mark — a trace
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — a grade
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. squash — the sport
  21. spell — letters
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bear — 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