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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ground — crushed
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ground — a position
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — of a river
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. date — the fruit
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ground — the earth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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