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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.

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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: craft · wave · bulb · mouse · kid · mug · trunk · net

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. net — for catching
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — after costs
  9. kid — child
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mug — a face
  12. net — in sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mug — to rob
  15. craft — boats
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. craft — a skill
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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