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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. season — of the year
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bore — to tire
  6. squash — to crush
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. squash — the sport
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. season — in sport
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hand — help
  24. season — to add flavour

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