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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. deal — to handle
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. dip — to sink
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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