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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.

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: trunk · wave · track · bear · net · mouse · cabinet · ball

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. track — a song
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bear — the animal
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. track — a path
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. net — in sport
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. net — after costs
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ball — a dance
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. net — for catching
  24. trunk — of a tree

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