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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wake — a trail
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. band — a ring
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. deal — to handle
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. band — a music group
  23. row — to paddle
  24. band — a rubber band

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