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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: trunk · arm · bulb · bear · squash · charge · mouse · mine

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. charge — a price
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bear — the animal
  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