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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — a song
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. craft — boats
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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