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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rock — a stone
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. spring — a coil
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rock — music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spring — the season
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spring — of water
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rest — a break
  17. saw — the tool
  18. trunk — of a car

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