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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.

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 · kid · wax · mug · trunk · coach · bear · craft

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kid — child
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — a skill
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. kid — to tease
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. mug — a face

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