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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bound — certain
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. branch — a division
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. perch — for a bird
  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