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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.

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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: wave · deal · mouse · lean · trunk · bear · arm · foot

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lean — thin
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lean — to bend

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