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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 124 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — in football
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. swing — to play on
  9. scale — in music
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. swing — music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. roll — a list
  16. season — of the year
  17. swing — in golf
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bulb — for light
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. kick — a thrill

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