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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 120 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: ball · mug · bear · rush · wake · trunk · lash · key

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mug — a face
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. key — in music
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mug — to rob
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ball — a great time
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. key — the most important part

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