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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 116 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: trunk · pop · object · cabinet · rest · bear · bay · content

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — what's left
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. content — the amount
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pop — music
  8. object — to protest
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pop — soda
  14. object — an aim
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. object — a thing
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. content — happy
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rest — what's left

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